Psalm 13 spoke to me. How long, Lord? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
I can relate to most of this, as I have been experiencing a lot of this even this week. At times I feel absolutely crushed with sorrow. When is it going to end? (I am safe, and don’t want to hurt myself). However, I really am grateful for the last couple of verses:
But I trust in Your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me.
I don’t always want to, feel like doing this, and truly don’t have the perfect holy motivations to rejoice in God, and want to sing His praises (most of the time I don’t want to do anything close to sing the Lord’s praise while I am in pain), however, it is a nice reminder to try to trust God and in His unfailing love, even when I don’t feel like it. Thinking back on how he has specifically been good to me (roof over my head, heat in the house, warm car to drive to work, a church home, etc.) helps try to look towards God and try to do His will more, than wallow in my pain. Grateful I can bring my pain to God and He hears me, and try to walk with Him through the fire.
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Pastor Steve
2m ago
Replying to
I too love the Psalms. They reveal true human emotion in the fullest breadth. I am often dumbfounded when I see psalmists share their frustration, grief, anger, pain with the Lord and then return to the Lord in full faithful trust in His work. When we are reminded that our God is faithful, even in the pain, anger, grief, and frustration we can cry in His arms trusting that He is working for our good. It doesn't take that all away, but points us to the cross! This is where we see how our God cares for us. If we have been join in a death like His, we will certainly also be united in His glorious resurrection! The end of the book looks good for us who believe, therefore, we know God is faithful to deliver us from all evil into the kingdom of heaven!
Until then, we lament like the psalmists...and trust in the end of our stories as well as the promise of the deliverance Jesus brings! Come, Lord Jesus!
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Ben
Jan 30
“for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”
1 John 3:20 ESV
This verse and within the context of John’s letter, gives me some hope. Almost hourly, I feel my black little heart condemning me, lying to me, and flat out arguing against God. This verse reminds me that with God being greater than my black little heart, He is more powerful than my heart, and by His Spirit, He helps me choose to listen and do to what He wants me to do, rather than listen and do what my black little heart wants me to do. By God’s will and in my opinion, I don’t think I will ever get this perfect on this side of Heaven, and I am grateful He gives me the power to listen and follow Him.
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Pastor Steve
4d ago
Replying to
Amen...we will not be perfect, but we keep on striving :-)
God is greater than it all!
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Karlee
Jan 29
It's been a long time since Old Testament class...why are there so many stipulations for how the temple should look?
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4 - how true this is now that I am a mother and not just a teacher anymore! It brings me so much joy to hear my students and children talk about Jesus, sing songs and recite Bible verses. I love hearing them pray and talk to God and share in that with them!
I also appreciate the many times in 1/2/3 John it says "talk face to face." I think in this day and age, that just doesn't happen anymore! It's hard to talk to people face to face within families but also in church. And that can be challenging when faith is also about fellowship! So I love reading this reminder again and again.
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Pastor Steve
4d ago
Replying to
I am sure they are there the same reason why blueprints have so much information. God is sharing the vision of the tabernacle that will set them apart. It was a specific plan, that God gives clear instructions on building (as well as packing up...but that comes later). There are times I read this and cannot help but think of God's "instructions" as overkill or a distraction to my day. But God's people walk in His ways and love is commands. This isn't something we check off so that we can do our own thing. This is identity shaping. We often treat worship this way as well, but it reflect my sinfulness and selfishness. I do it with "tasks" often, but our God doesn't seek after people to do His "tasks". No, He seeks after our hearts. We do all these things because God has claimed and holds our hearts!
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Ben
Jan 24
I know this is a little ahead on our reading, however, I never realized how God, through the pillar of fire and pillar of smoke, got in-between the fleeing Israelites and the Egyptians, the night before Moses and all of Israel crossed the Red Sea. God getting in between the two groups, protecting Israel from Pharoh and his army, gives me hope that God protects me and will protect me whenever He leads me to my “Red Sea” moments. Haha, I always wondered: how come the Egyptians didn’t reach the Israelites before the Red Sea was parted. This showed why.
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Karlee
Jan 24
Replying to
I also never realized how Moses actually was given forewarning that the Egyptians would be meeting them at the Red Sea. I feel like in movies it's always depicted as a surprise so just another way showing that God is there and in control! And after seeing all of that the people fear God but then how quickly they (and I) turn away from Him.
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Karlee
Jan 20
I wish there was more to Moses' story when he was young. I never really thought about how he spent some years with his mom before moving in with the Pharaoh's daughter. He was chosen because he had Egyptian and Hebrew upbringings but I wish there was more backstory to all of that!
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Pastor Steve
Jan 20
Replying to
It is interesting that we get birth of Moses...adult Moses fleeing...and 80 year old Moses going back to Pharaoh. It is times like this that I am reminded of how much I don't know; however, the Word of God is sufficient for what I need to know! A place I am reminded to TRUST that He has it all taken care of...even when I "don't know".
Thanks for sharing Karlee!
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Karlee
Jan 19
God is my shield, refuge, a stronghold in times of trouble! I appreciate these verses that God is the judge and is in control. I put my trust in Him and His plan!
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Ben
Jan 17
Gen 30 spoke to me on desperation and God’s loving response
I am safe and don’t want to cause injury to myself, and I can relate (in some way) to Rachel’s demand to Jacob: “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Me being a divorced single father, all I want God sometimes to do is: “give me a wife/family/belongingness, or I’ll die!” At times, I feel like I will die without a wife/family/whatever else, however, it shows how black my little heart is, and how God responds to this all. He listened to Rachel. He listened to Leah. Him listening to them gives me hope to know at least He hears me, He is distressed when I am distressed, and He gives me not what I want (wife/family/whatever), but gives me what I ultimately need: Himself.
I am not perfect on this at all, however, it is a great reminder for me to check to see if my heart is for God or for something that is not God.
Grateful God gives us new hearts for Himself!
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Pastor Steve
Jan 19
Replying to
His grace is sufficient for us...but my desires often get in the way! Thanks for sharing Ben!
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Karlee
Jan 15
It's amazing reading the whole story of Joseph and his brothers. The legacy that family has with so many brothers and repairing relationships with Thanksgiving. It is really impactful the end of that story where Joseph says "you meant evil but God meant it for good" to then be paired with Jesus' arrest...when something bad happens we often yell at God and doubt His plan but through those tribulations He means it for good! Obviously the Easter story is the best story of how that betrayal was truly meant for good! Ultimately we need to trust in God's goodness throughout our lives.
Like
Pastor Steve
Jan 15
Replying to
I love that we have the assurance that God is going to lead us THROUGH every struggle, trial, or dark valley. While evil is at work, so is our God...and He always wins out!! Thanks be to God!!
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Pastor Steve
Jan 14
When you look at Abraham's family, you cannot help but see the brokenness of the world still at work. From deception to deception, people continue to fail to do what is right in God's eye. Rather, they do what is right in their own eye! Family has seen this struggle and I bet your family does from time to time (I know mine does, because I am in it!). All of this builds up to and points at the one and only Perfect one! Jesus, whom when we are connected to provides His forgiving love to flow through our families and fills them with real love! We all needs Jesus!
Like
Karlee
Jan 15
Replying to
I need this reminder! It can be so hard to remember that within our own families there is sin but only a better reminder to turn to God and ask for that forgiveness. What a blessing it will be to be in heaven together without that sin!
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Ben
Jan 17
Replying to
Thanks for this point, I am right there too with my family (including myself), respectfully, being broken too, as they (myself included) have confessed that reality. Grateful for God loving me and my family in our brokenness.
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Karlee
Jan 13
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 ... this has become one of my favorite verses! I read it after my grandpa/uncle died in the same week a few years ago and I come back to it frequently. I find it a great source of comfort in all things!
Psalm 13 spoke to me. How long, Lord? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
I can relate to most of this, as I have been experiencing a lot of this even this week. At times I feel absolutely crushed with sorrow. When is it going to end? (I am safe, and don’t want to hurt myself). However, I really am grateful for the last couple of verses:
But I trust in Your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for He has been good to me.
I don’t always want to, feel like doing this, and truly don’t have the perfect holy motivations to rejoice in God, and want to sing His praises (most of the time I don’t want to do anything close to sing the Lord’s praise while I am in pain), however, it is a nice reminder to try to trust God and in His unfailing love, even when I don’t feel like it. Thinking back on how he has specifically been good to me (roof over my head, heat in the house, warm car to drive to work, a church home, etc.) helps try to look towards God and try to do His will more, than wallow in my pain. Grateful I can bring my pain to God and He hears me, and try to walk with Him through the fire.
“for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”
1 John 3:20 ESV
This verse and within the context of John’s letter, gives me some hope. Almost hourly, I feel my black little heart condemning me, lying to me, and flat out arguing against God. This verse reminds me that with God being greater than my black little heart, He is more powerful than my heart, and by His Spirit, He helps me choose to listen and do to what He wants me to do, rather than listen and do what my black little heart wants me to do. By God’s will and in my opinion, I don’t think I will ever get this perfect on this side of Heaven, and I am grateful He gives me the power to listen and follow Him.
It's been a long time since Old Testament class...why are there so many stipulations for how the temple should look?
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4 - how true this is now that I am a mother and not just a teacher anymore! It brings me so much joy to hear my students and children talk about Jesus, sing songs and recite Bible verses. I love hearing them pray and talk to God and share in that with them!
I also appreciate the many times in 1/2/3 John it says "talk face to face." I think in this day and age, that just doesn't happen anymore! It's hard to talk to people face to face within families but also in church. And that can be challenging when faith is also about fellowship! So I love reading this reminder again and again.
I know this is a little ahead on our reading, however, I never realized how God, through the pillar of fire and pillar of smoke, got in-between the fleeing Israelites and the Egyptians, the night before Moses and all of Israel crossed the Red Sea. God getting in between the two groups, protecting Israel from Pharoh and his army, gives me hope that God protects me and will protect me whenever He leads me to my “Red Sea” moments. Haha, I always wondered: how come the Egyptians didn’t reach the Israelites before the Red Sea was parted. This showed why.
I wish there was more to Moses' story when he was young. I never really thought about how he spent some years with his mom before moving in with the Pharaoh's daughter. He was chosen because he had Egyptian and Hebrew upbringings but I wish there was more backstory to all of that!
God is my shield, refuge, a stronghold in times of trouble! I appreciate these verses that God is the judge and is in control. I put my trust in Him and His plan!
Gen 30 spoke to me on desperation and God’s loving response
I am safe and don’t want to cause injury to myself, and I can relate (in some way) to Rachel’s demand to Jacob: “Give me children, or I’ll die!” Me being a divorced single father, all I want God sometimes to do is: “give me a wife/family/belongingness, or I’ll die!” At times, I feel like I will die without a wife/family/whatever else, however, it shows how black my little heart is, and how God responds to this all. He listened to Rachel. He listened to Leah. Him listening to them gives me hope to know at least He hears me, He is distressed when I am distressed, and He gives me not what I want (wife/family/whatever), but gives me what I ultimately need: Himself.
I am not perfect on this at all, however, it is a great reminder for me to check to see if my heart is for God or for something that is not God.
Grateful God gives us new hearts for Himself!
It's amazing reading the whole story of Joseph and his brothers. The legacy that family has with so many brothers and repairing relationships with Thanksgiving. It is really impactful the end of that story where Joseph says "you meant evil but God meant it for good" to then be paired with Jesus' arrest...when something bad happens we often yell at God and doubt His plan but through those tribulations He means it for good! Obviously the Easter story is the best story of how that betrayal was truly meant for good! Ultimately we need to trust in God's goodness throughout our lives.
When you look at Abraham's family, you cannot help but see the brokenness of the world still at work. From deception to deception, people continue to fail to do what is right in God's eye. Rather, they do what is right in their own eye! Family has seen this struggle and I bet your family does from time to time (I know mine does, because I am in it!). All of this builds up to and points at the one and only Perfect one! Jesus, whom when we are connected to provides His forgiving love to flow through our families and fills them with real love! We all needs Jesus!
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 ... this has become one of my favorite verses! I read it after my grandpa/uncle died in the same week a few years ago and I come back to it frequently. I find it a great source of comfort in all things!